Uncovering Cover Letters

Writing a cover letter like this puts your job search on the road to oblivion:

To Whom It May Concern:

I saw your ad, and I'd like to apply for the job.

I've got lots of experience, and I'm well educated, too. The money seems low for someone of my high qualifications, but I'm sure we can work something out.

Attached is my (impressive) résumé. Give it a look and then give me a call!

Your Friend and Future Colleague,

Zonus Q. Zilch

Such a letter conveys the applicant's unusually high opinion of himself, but tells the company nothing about his qualifications or prior experience. The tone shows ego, not confidence. In short, a letter like this is worthless.

A good cover letter is addressed to a specific person, explains why you're writing, tells the reader why you're qualified for the job, directs the reader to your attached résumé and states that you will follow up on the letter. Be sure to thank the person for taking the time to review your material.

"The point of a cover letter is to get the hiring manager person to turn page and look at your résumé," says Randall Hansen, a professor of business at Stetson University in Deland, Fla. "Hopefully, that will get you an interview. Keep the cover letter to about two-thirds of a page. Some cover letters are two pages long, giving mini-autobiography that no one will read."

One size doesn't fit all when it comes to cover letters. You must personalize each letter and peg it to the job offered. Blasting out the same letter in response to scads of ads will get you rejections from all.

Introduce yourself to the company in the cover letter. Appearance and tone count. Keep it formal without sounding like a dainty Victorian or a pretentious twit.

To succeed, your cover letter must be crisp, uncluttered and error-free. Run the spellchecker and proofread your letter. The computer, for example, won't know the difference between "from" and "form. You'll look like an idiot, and a lazy one at that, if you make this mistake or one like it.

Be sure to address the letter to a specific person. If you don't know how to spell the person's name or don't have the person's job title, check its Web site or call the company. Write it down and read it back to the person who gives you the information. Get this right, or you're immediately out of the game.

Keep the cover letter short. In most cases, about 200 or 250 words in three or four paragraphs should do it. Don't use a crazy font. You want the cover letter to be clear, crisp and easy to read. Do not use all caps to emphasize a point because it will destroy the appearance of your letter.

The first paragraph should tell the reader why you're contacting the company and what position you seek. Make it clear that you're applying for a specific job and say why you're interested in the company. In general, it's not necessary to say where you learned of the opening unless that's requested in the ad or you were referred by a mutual friend.

In the second paragraph, tell the reader why you're qualified for the job. This isn't a summary of your attached résumé, but a brief recap of its strongest points. Select two or three accomplishments that are relevant to the job opening and back them with specific examples.

It's deadly dull and a killer to cut and paste sections of your résumé into the cover letter. Use your experience as a foundation to make a basic point: This is what I can do for you.

Experience shouldn't be cited as a trip down memory lane, but used to underscore your seriousness, professionalism and ability to handle the advertised job.

If the second paragraph gets too long, split it into two paragraphs simply because a big block of type on the page is unattractive and hard to read.

In the final paragraph, refer the reader to your attached résumé and, if relevant, to enclosed samples of your work. Don't be bashful about asking for an interview or saying that you'll follow up with a phone call in a week.

Be sure to thank the person for taking the time to review your material. Many applicants don't do this and it's a mistake. Remember: The company owes you nothing--not even an interview.

Even in the digital age, an unsigned letter is impersonal or underscores your lack of attention to small details. Always sign your letter. Black ink is best because the cover letter may be photocopied and passed on to other managers.

A good cover letter might look like this:

Susan Two-Shoes

123 Bookish Lane

Berkeley, California 94704

October 24, 2005

Mr. Howard Hiring

Personnel Director

Mofo Corporation

1234 Mountain Top Drive

San Francisco, California 94103

Dear Mr. Hiring:

This letter is to express my interest in the analyst position listed on KillerJobs.com. I have an MBA from the University of Pluto and extensive Wall Street experience. I'm now a guest lecturer at the University of Berkeley's business school. It is a challenging position, but I want to return to equity coverage, especially with a company like Mofo that focuses on the Pacific Rim.

The ad said you seek someone experienced in tracking the oil industry who can lead a team of junior analysts. I tracked the sector for seven years at Dewey, Cheetum & Howe in New York and oversaw the work of five analysts. We produced both industry and company-specific reports. My team was the first to raise concerns about Piddling Oil's ability to develop its Caspian field. The financial press immediately picked up my report and, as you know, Monster Oil bought Piddling six months later--a company we had identified as a likely candidate to snap up its undercapitalized competitor. My team beat the competition, and we served our clients well.

I am eager to learn more about the analyst position at Mofo Corporation, and I look forward to meeting with you. My résumé and several reports, including my industry-leading insights on Piddling Oil, are enclosed.

Thank you for taking the time to review my résumé and material. I will call you next week.

Sincerely,

(signed in black ink:) Susan Two-Shoes

(Laser printed) Susan Two-Shoes

These basic techniques will work for non-profits, mom and pop operations and major companies such as
Intel
,
Microsoft
,
Exxon Mobil
or
JPMorgan Chase
.